Falcon Of The Week: Gavin Owens

Ever considered taking a year in college to study abroad? How about four?

Many students know Gavin Owens (`13) for his stint on a national championship robotics team or for his love of downhill skiing.  But next fall he is adding one more thing to his list of distinctions — he is going to college in a foreign country.

Franklin College in Lugano, Switzerland is where Gavin is headed next year. He is planning to study International Relations and minor in either Economics or Conflict Management. He says he has no major interest in becoming a politician, only that he has “always enjoyed studying how things work whether it is a machine or a country.”

Gavin is not afraid of the challenge of living in a foreign country, or the distance from home.  He has often been self-reliant in the past, and he has technology to keep in contact with his family.

Though the Swiss speak primarily German, French, and Italian  — none of which Gavin speals — he is not worried.  By immersing himself in the land known for its neutrality, he hopes to gain proficiency in the languages and knowledge of the different cultures.

Gavin wishes to be a “Global Citizen,” being a man of the world more than a man of any one place.  Franklin College supports this goal.  On occasion, classes go on academic travels with their professor.  They do service work in other countries or just enjoy the differences of culture.

The question still remains, How did Gavin even become aware of Franklin College.

Well, it started as a joke.

A friend suggested a College in Switzerland to him and though initially he was unsure, but after researching the programs of Franklin College Gavin decided it had everything he needed.  He had one requirement for where he would go.  There must be good skiing nearby.  The Swiss Alps provide him quite well in that regard.

Gavin’s choice of college is an example to students to think outside of the box.  Students often only consider close colleges, but it is important to find a place that fits the student well.  His best advice is to “keep an open mind and to keep pushing through, it all works out in the end.”